Self-supporting golf-bags and the like



Oct. 6, 1931. i JOHNSON 1,826,216

SELF SUPPORTING GOLF BAGS AND THE LIKE Filed July 27. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Oct. 6, 1931. H. T. JOHNSON 1,826,216

SELF SUPPORTING GOLF BAGS AND THE LIKE Filed July 27. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 6, 1931 PATENT & ()FFICIEv HENRY THEOPHILUS JOHNSON, OF LONDON, ENGLAND SELF-SUl PPORTING GOLF-BAGS AND THE LIKE Application filed July 27, 1929, Serial No. 381,612, and in Great Britain September 5, 1928.

The present invention relates to improvements in and relating to self-supporting golfbags and like receptacles of the kind which are adapted to be spiked into upright supporting relationship with the ground.

f Either a single spike or a multiple thereof may be employed, but as in the hereinafter described embodiment of the present invention preference is had to a single spike as conducing to manufacturing economies, notable ease of fitting, lightness in weight, with remarkable flexibility and convenience in handling the bag and/or operating the support single handedly and/or protecting the clubs which is realised by an important feature presently to be described of the present invention.

Conveniently and advanta eously the single spike is mounted axially of the bag. Nor-' 2b mally the spike does not project beyond the bottom of the bag, but when the bag is placed vertically on the ground, and it is desired to retain the bag in an upright position, the

spike is adapted to be driven into the ground by thrust exerted on a hand-grip which may be on the upper end. of an integral continuation of the spike or of a thrust member therefor. Preferably the hand-grip is padded for comfort to the user when exerting the forcenecessary to drive the spike into hard ground.

Means are provided for guiding the spike in its advancing or retracting movement through a hole in the bottom of the bag.

The spike maybe arranged to be held within the bag bythe action of a spring which is energized in the act of driving the spike into the ground.

According to one feature of the present invention there is provided a golf bag or like receptacle, incorporating a spiking device which is operated by a hand-grip which forms or is provided with a chordal or diametral or medial divider or partition across the mouth of the bag and movable towards and away from the bottom thereof.

Forms of the hand-grip having this characteristic are, for example, a T-handle end of'the spike-rod if axially mounted, or an L-handle or bent handle of the spike-rod if non-axially mounted.

In the case of a hand-grip in the form of a T -handle, the may be a rigid cross or crutchpiece or 1t may comprise a flexible member such as a leather strap or thong.

If a rigid cross or crutch piece is employed, 53 this may bridge or span the mouth of the bag and either be connected thereto or left free therein. i x

A rigid cross or crutch piece or a rigid bent handle may be suitably clothed with leather, 60 rubber or some other cushioning material to protect the hand; also the clubs from injuriously contacting therewith, and more particularly with one another.

The rigid cross or crutch piece or rigid bent handle may underhang a stiffening band round the inside of the mouth of the bag so as to adapt the spike-rod under the action of. 1ts spring to serve also to normally hold the bag extended to its full length or substantially so.

In the case of a flexible cross-member a strap or thong of leather or other suitable flexible material is connected to the bag and spike-rod. The strap may be threaded through slots in the side of the bag at or near or some distance below its mouth, one end of the strap or thong in one example being. threaded once or to and fro through the hand grip and fastened to the other end by a buckle or like, or in another example the strap or thong may be fastened direct to the top of the spike-rod.

Such a flexible cross-member forms an ideal club separator and serves also to co-operate in tension with the spring urged spike rod to tauten or hold an endwise collapsable bag extended to its full length or substantially so.

According to a further feature of the invention there is provided a combination of components forming an improvedself-supporting golf-bag which is noted for standardization and manufacturing facilities and efficiency in use.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a golf-bag with the spike rod driven into the ground.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a flexible golf bag, according to that form of the invention in which the handle end of the spiked 1'00 rod forms or is provided with a flexible partiscale of the same bag collapsed showing the spike pushed'in the ground.

Fig. 4 is a plan view.

Fig. 5 is an elevation partly broken away of the top end of a golf bag showing a modificd form of strap connection, for vertically stiffened bags.

Figs. 6 to 12 are detail views hereinafter referred to.

In the constructional form shown in the drawings by Figs. 2, 3 and 4, a rod 1 terminating in a comparatively slender spike 2 passes from a hand-grip 3 axially down the ag 4, the spike 2 being normally concealed in a sheath 5 fast in the lower end of which is located a screw threaded ferrule or bush 6 passing through a central hole 7 in the bottom of the bag 4 and secured by a flanged nut 8, an internal clamping disc or washer 9 resting on the inside of the bottom of the bag 4 being interposed between the nut 8 and the bottom of the sheath 5.

The retraction of the spike 2 is effected by the action of a spring 11 housed within the sheath 5. This retraction is limited by a collar or washer 12 fast on the rod 1 abutting against a stop 13 screwed in the top of the sheath 5 (Fig. 6). When the bag is carried or lifted by the handle, the collar 12, acting against the stop 13, takes the whole weight of the bag and its contents, and thus the fabric of the bag which in the ordinary way bears this strain, is relieved.

The rod 1, which may be hollow through all or part of its length, is internally screwthreaded at the top to receive a correspondingly screw-threaded stem 14 of a T piece 15 which forms when clothed the padded hand grip 3 above referred to for operating the spike 2. The connection between the top of the bag and the handle 3 is by means of a strap or thong 16 threaded through horizontal slots 17, 18 preferably in the leather or other material depending from the stiffening ring 19 at the top of the bag, the strap or thong 16 passing to and fro or through a channel 20 (see Figs. 3 and 7) in the handle 3, and being secured by a buckle or other fastening 21.

The strap thus divides the mouth of the bag so that, for example, the wooden and iron clubs may be kept apart, the strap by virtue of its flexibility being well suited for this purpose as any injury which the club handles might sustain by contact with a rigid partition is eliminated.

The medial part of the strap or thong and the hand-grip 3 may be clothed or/and pad ded such as by a sheath 22, which may be of leather or like flexible material.

The slots 17, 18 may be arranged diametrically of the mouth of the bag, or may be as shown arranged so that the strap or thong 16 divides the mouth of the bag into segments 23, 24 for the reception of the 1ron and wooden clubs respectively and proportionately.

The screw union at 14 with the aid of extension pieces may be adjusted to allow for the same movements of the spike in the ground for bags of different lengths. The device may be accommodated to bags, the bottoms of which vary in thickness, by adjustment of the screw nut or plate 8, which may screw in or out on a thread cut externally or internally on the sheath.

For safety in transit the bottom end of the sheath, when the spike is retracted may be closured such as by a plug secured to the sheath 5 or ferrule 6 in any convenient manner.

The members 6 and 13 may be of brass or of other suitable metal to take the wear due to the thrust of the spring.

Figs. 8 and 9 show another form of footattachment for the sheath 5. The bush or ferrule 6 is connected to the sheath 5 by a screw union. A holed, flat, domed or spring disc 25 is located against the external wall of the bottom of the bag, and is held to position by a flange or lock nut 26, the hole 27 being a countersink so that the bottom face of the flange-nut 26 shall lie flush with the surface of the disc 25. The flange-nut 26 is worked on and off the bush 6 by a suitable tool as provided engaging one or both grooves 30 and 31 at will in the face thereof.

The bottom end of the sheath 5 is closured by a plug 28 (Fig. 10) having pin components 29 engaging slot components 30 in the wall of the bush 6 to form a bayonet oint.

In the case of stiff bags the disc or washer 9 may be threaded to work on the ferrule or bush 6 by a screw union.

Fig. 11 illustrates one way of providing the collar 12 on the rod 1. The rod 1 is in two parts joined by a screwed union member 35, the collar 12 being a ring 36 loosely mounted on the union member 35 and gripped between the adjacent ends of the two parts of the rod 1. The collar 12 serves as a stop bearing member for one end of the spring.

In the case of a hooded bag, the crosshandle is so formed as to allow of the hood being drawn out. Forexample a flexible cross-handle may be used adapted to flex upwardly on each side of a medial attaching part or a T handle like a golf stick iron will also serve.

The simplicity of the fitting of the device according to the present invention will be obvious, a hole made in the bottom of the bag and in the case of a hand-grip with a flexible connector, holes at the mouth or top end of the bag being all that is required to prepare the bag to receive the device.

Fig. 5 shows a convenient arrangement for securing a flexible connector such as a buckle strap 42 to a hand-grip 3 suited for stiff bags. In this case the stra 42 is threaded once through hole 43 in the ag 4, then through the hand-grip 3 and hole 44 and fastened. This of the bag with a suitable tool. Holding the support with the inside washer 9 in position and uppermost, slip the bag over it, guiding the protruding threaded ferrule end 6 through the hole cut to receive it in the bag end. Pass the left hand up the inside of big, and grasp the thicktube. Place the base plate or disc in position, and screw on the lock nut 26 until its surface is flush with the threaded ferrule end 6 and the notches 30, 31 in each are in alignment.

Then with the aid of a suitable tool screw down both the lock-nut and the threaded brass ferrule end until the whole is tight. Give the lock-nut an extra tightening to lock the plate firmly in position. Pierce under the rim as in Fig. 2, or lower down as in Fig. 5 with a suitable punch on opposite sides of the bag, somewhat on the handle side of the centre line of the rim in bags over 4 Now thread the strap as shewn and tighten the strap and the bag is ready for use, the handle being flush or showing just above the rim line. By adding extension pieces as describedthe support is adaptable to any length bag between 32" and 36".

For stiffened bags the strap holes should be put 3 or more inches below the rim, about 2 either side of centre line of the shoulder strap, and only threaded once through the handle. The ends of the trap should be buckled underthe shoulder strap.

The padded hand-grip is remarkably convenient for forcing the spike in the'ground, and forwithdrawing the spike and trailing the bag as a welcome variant to shouldering the weight of the bag and its contents.

Golf bags generally vary from to 36" in length. A standard bag is 33 Assuming the device according to the present invention being made to fit the standard bag of 33", and it is required to fit the device to a bag of less than standard length.

To obtain the required length of the rod or tube 1 cut oif the necessary surplus from the upper part thereof, the receiving thread for the handle being carried down a sufficient dis tance to allow removal of the surplus and still have threads for engaging the handle stem.

an attached hand grip Now assumin a bag of over standard length is wante and this want will be the most common, means for meeting this condition maybe by way of an extension or coupling member or members. One way of doing this is as shown in Fig. 12, in which an extension part 41 in the form of a sleeve-coupling with an internally threaded wall engages on one side a post 40 which post is attached by a screw union to the tube 1, the extension piece 41 engaging at the other end with the threaded handle stem.

The device as a whole can be so made as to add little weight to the bag and its contents, and materially adds to the comfort and pleasure of'the player in avoiding the exertion of stooping so many times in the course of a game, besides serving to preserve the clubs, and facilitating their selection and also stiffening vertically an otherwise flimsy collapsable material.

What I claim is 1. The combination in a golf bag or like receptacle of the kind described, of a spiking device and a hand grip operating said spiking device, and a member carried by said hand grip dividing the mouth of the bag.

2. The combination in a golf bag or like receptacle of the kind described, of a spiking device and a hand grip for operating said spiking device, said hand grip dividing the mouth of the bag.

3. The combination in a flexible or collapsible golf bag or like receptacle of the kind described, of a spiking device also serving as a stifiener to hold said bag extended, and a hand grip for operating said spiking device, Zaid hand grip dividing the mouth of the 4.'The combination in a golf bag or like receptacle of the kind described,.of a spiking device, an attachedhand grip for said spiking device, and a flexible connexion between the hand grip and the mouth of the bag, said hand grip forming a chordal divider of the mouth of the bag.

5. A spiking device adapted to be secured to a golf bag or like receptacle, comprising in combination a spiked spindle, a hand-grip divider connected to said spindle, a sheath, a spring housed in said sheath, the spindle being under the control of said spring for its return movement after the spike has been extruded from the sheath, and means on the spindle co-operating with means fixed in relation to the bag so as to bear the weight of the bag and its contents.

6. In a golf bag or like receptacle,a spiking device located within the bag, and a spring control and a hand grip therefor, said hand grip dividing the mouth of the bag.

7. In a golf bag or like receptacle, a spiking device within the bag, a sheath, a spring control for said spiking device in said sheath,

or said spiking device,

and a flexible connector between the hand grip and the mouth of the bag said flexible I connector dividing the bag into two parts.

8 A spiking device for a golf bag or like receptacle, comprising in combination a spiked spindle, a sheath, the spike being normally concealed therein, a springhoused in said sheath, the spindle being under the control of said spring for its return movement after the spike has been extruded from the sheath, :1 hand-grip divider for operating the spiked spindle, and means for attachment to the base of the bag, said means consisting of a screwed extension of the sheath, spacing discs, and a locking member.

9. A spiking device adapted to be secured to a golf bag or like receptacle, comprising in combination a spiked spindle, detachable and interchangeable extension members, a sheath, the spike being normally concealed therein, a spring housed in said sheath, the spindle being under the control of said spring for its return movement after the spike has been extruded from the sheath,

and a hand-grip divider for operating the spiked spindle.

10. A spiking device adapted to be secured to a golf bag or like receptacle, comprising in combination a spiked spindle, a

sheath, the spike being normally concealed therein, a spring housed in said sheath, the spindle being under the control of said spring for its return movement after the spike has been extruded from the sheath, a

hand-grip, and a flexible connector threaded through the hand grip and through holes in the bag said flexible connector dividing the bag into two parts.

11. A spiking device adapted to be secured to a golf bag or like receptacle, comprising in combination a rod terminating in a spiked spindle, a hand-grip attached to said rod, a strap connector between the hand-grip and the top of the bag, said con- 4; nector dividing the bag into two parts, a

. sheath, means for securing said sheath to the bottom of the bag, and a spring housed in said sheath, the spindle being under the control of said spring for its return movement after the spike has been extruded from the sheath.

12. In a golf bag or like receptacle of the kind described, comprising a spiking device, a hand grip operating said spiking device,

5; and a member carried by said hand grip dividing the mouth of the bag, (the provision of a closure member for preventing unintentional extrusion of the spike).

In testimony whereof, I afiix. my signa- G3 ture.

HENRY T. JOHNSON.

CERTIFICATE or CORRECTION. I 5

hatent No. 1,826,216. Granted October 6, 1931, to

HENRY rnrormws JOHNSON.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as followsr Page 4, lines 56 and 58,

claim 12, strike out the parentheses; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 17th day of November, A. D. 1931.

M. J. Moore, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

